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She smiles, and I know in that split second she definitely still has a thing for him. I should have seen the signs when I was dating him. They had a strange chemistry between them. It always came off as awkwardness, but she never let on about her secret crush until years later when our friendship crumbled from my absence in her life the one time she needed me to be there for her.
I look around the cabin to make sure we are alone before I speak. “Are you ever going to make a move on him? He’s still single, and still every woman’s favorite most eligible bachelor.” I say, wearing a smirk.
She’s blushing. “No, stop. I’m not making any moves. You and Christian are just a bunch of sex crazed maniacs who can’t keep their hands off of one another. I’m fine being alone, and I don’t need to be smothered by a man. I enjoy my freedom.”
“I can’t talk about Christian. Let’s talk about you and Braxton. Tell me this is a cry for attention,” I squeal. “I hope he’s super angry when he finds out we commandeered his expensive jet. In fact, I hope he shows up on your doorstep, all bent out of shape, because you deserve a reward for all your hard work. You need to find some balance between work and play.”
“While I appreciate your relationship advice, Quinn, I don’t think I need to treat myself to a man. I don’t want to deal with all the messy parts. I’m much more of a no strings attached kind of person these days.”
I sink back into the plush leather, feeling deflated. Silence falls over us, but only for a moment.
“Let’s change the subject darling,” Selena croons, “once we have what we came for, what’s the next move? How do you plan to expose the mole?”
I smile at her, shrugging my shoulders. “I plan to kill the mole, of course. That step is the easiest part. Christian has told me tons of stories about murder dinners from his time in the French mafia. I figured I would have a murder party. I’m going to leave something out that only a mole wouldn’t be able to resist. Information about Christian’s proposal for how to take control of the birdcage.”
“But Quinn, if that information got into the wrong hands by accident,” Selena gasps.
I hold up my hand to stop her from reacting. “I also know that, which is why the information would be a rouse. A plan so awful and terrible it can’t possibly be anything but a trap. If I leak the information, I imagine it will lure several men into the fake meeting exposing others who might be working on the inside, or at the very least those willing to assassinate Christian in their own selfish attempt to ascend their rank inside Arkham.”
“I have to admit, this actually sounds like a good plan,” Selena shrugs. “Tell me then, Quinn, how do you plan to use whatever we are retrieving to murder the mole?”
“Can I trust you?” I ask.
“You know you can. I am dying to know how you are going to pull off a murder party. Even with music a gun shot it too loud, other methods are too bloody, and everything is extremely risky or dangerous if you are placing yourself in the same room as traitor.”
“Don’t worry, Selena,” I say, trying to reassure her, “I won’t have to be anywhere close to the mole to murder him.”
“Poison Selena. I plan to poison the traitor. At the end of the night, we should find the body of the traitor in my father’s office. He won’t be able to resist. The poison itself is untraceable. First it paralyzes its victims, then it stops their heart from beating. All from just touching the stuff or breathing it in.”
“That’s actually really good too,” Selena says, surprised. “But Quinn, how do you know someone else will find out and spread the word?”
“Because I don’t think our mole works alone. I think there are two moles working to bring Arkham down.” I reply.
“Interesting,” Selena answers, before pouring us both a glass of champagne. “I propose a toast. To exposing the moles,” she says, clinking hers into mine.
Chapter twenty-four
Whentheplanelandsat the hangar in Europe, Eisele is there waiting to pick us up. Her strawberry blonde hair blows around her pale face in the breeze. It’s colder here than I remember. Rain drizzles from the sky, drenching everything as it does. Once the pilot allows us to exit, I run to where she is waiting and give her a giant bear hug. It’s been too many years since we saw each other last.
“I have missed you so much!” I squeal, taking the opportunity to pull her close and whisper in her ear, “Selena came with me. Be extra nice.”
“Where is the fabulous Selena, whom I have heard so many stories about?” Eisele asks, doing her part to be friendly.
Selena steps out from behind me, offering Eisele a handshake, but she pulls Selena into our hug instead. “It’s so great to finally meet you. Wow, you are simply stunning.”
“Thank you, darling,” Selena replies, already warming right up to Eisele. She has that effect on people. She’s very charming, well centered, and grounded. People just feel comfortable with her.
“Where is that handsome man of yours you need to tell me all about?” Eisele asks, looking around for Christian’s face, coming up empty-handed.
“Unfortunately, he’s working—“
I start to say before Selena cuts me off. “But he doesn’t know she’s here exactly, so when he realizes what she’s done and where she is, there’s a chance you might get to meet him after all.”
Eisele laughs, “Yeah, sounds just like the Quinn I know, always sneaking off, finding trouble, and getting caught.”
“You will be happy to know she has improved at it, but not much,” Selena pokes.
I don’t mind, it’s true. “This time I ratted on myself in a letter. I had a guilty conscience, and I didn’t want Christian to completely snap. He’s been really on edge lately. Things are getting intense inside Arkham.”
